


just one dance

by nessismore



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic, Matchmaking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-01
Updated: 2013-08-01
Packaged: 2017-12-22 01:58:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/907532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nessismore/pseuds/nessismore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“It looks like someone’s escaped bedtime.” Steve turns at Pepper’s amused words to see Sophia’s little face poking through the balustrade of the mezzanine. The five-year old is staring down at the ballroom in fascination, observing the partygoers as they chat and dance. Steve knows that she’s supposed to be in bed, under the watchful eye of the babysitter Darcy hired for the night, but he’d be surprised if any kid of Darcy’s didn’t try engineer some sort of escape attempt. “I’ll go get Darcy,” Pepper says with an amused sigh.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	just one dance

**Author's Note:**

> Proving that I do, in fact, write most prolifically when I have something super important coming up, here's another fic! Inspired by [this](http://the-yellow-ranger.tumblr.com/post/56925805866/1ardentadmirer-this-is-my-absolute-favorite) photoset.
> 
> Thanks to blackglass for betaing this for me! Any remaining errors are mine.

“It looks like someone’s escaped bedtime.” Steve turns at Pepper’s amused words to see Sophia’s little face poking through the balustrade of the mezzanine. The five-year old is staring down at the ballroom in fascination, observing the partygoers as they chat and dance. Steve knows that she’s supposed to be in bed, under the watchful eye of the babysitter Darcy hired for the night, but he’d be surprised if any kid of Darcy’s _didn’t_ try engineer some sort of escape attempt. “I’ll go get Darcy,” Pepper says with an amused sigh.

Steve shakes his head. “No, I’ll get her.” He sees Darcy deep in conversation with a potential supplier for Stark Industries, and he doesn’t want to interrupt. Besides, Steve doesn’t mind looking after Sophia. Not for the first time, he wonders what the hell Darcy’s ex was thinking, walking out on a pregnant Darcy, leaving her on her own to raise a daughter. Bruce, Tony, and Thor, through Jane, were the first to bring Darcy into their fold, and all of the Avengers just followed suit. Every one of them had been hovering in the waiting room while Sophia was born, and they’ve tried to be there for mother and daughter ever since.

He dodges a couple of the other guests, and hurries to get to Sophia before Darcy sees her. Sophia, in her purple panda pajamas, covers her eyes when she sees him coming towards her. “Shh, Uncle Steve,” she whispers when he crouches down in front of him. “I’m hiding.”

Steve bites back a grin. “I think I found you.” She giggles as Steve picks her up and tickles her.

“Wait! Wait! I want to watch the party!” she cries as he carries her into the hallway. “Uncle Steeeeeeve! Pleeeease?”

He knows he shouldn’t, but he stops anyway. He tries his best to look stern, but he’s pretty sure she knows she’s got him wrapped around her little finger. Hell, she’s got all of the Avengers’ number. Darcy’s scolded all of them for that more than a time or two. “You, young lady, are supposed to be in bed. If your mom sees you, she’s not going to be happy.”

“But Uncle Steve,” she wheedles, twisting her fingers in Steve’s bow-tie, “I was watching the dancing. I wanna dance, too.” Sophia’s eyes well up with tears, and he knows exactly what she’s doing. He knows, but he’s powerless to stop himself from giving in.

“One dance,” he says with a sigh. He sets her down as she claps her hands in delight, tears magically gone. “But if your mom catches us, _I’m_ gonna be in real big trouble. You don’t want that, do you?”

Sophia giggles. “Mommy won’t get mad at _you_ , silly. Mommy likes you.”

“Does she really?” he says dryly, even as his heart flip flops.

“Uh huh,” Sophia says with a nod. She steps onto the toes of his shiny black shoes and holds her hands out demandingly for his. Steve laughs and reaches down. Sophia grasps his fingers.

He begins to dance them around the room to the music wafting up from the ballroom. “Your mom likes all of us.”

“Uh huh” Sophia says again. “But she likes you best.”

He smiles softly, thinking of Darcy all the feelings _that_ encompasses—but no, it’s never done him any good to dwell on that. “I’ll tell you a secret. I like her best, too.”

Sophia frowns. “Even better than you like me?”

He grins down at her, spinning them around in a circle that makes her squeal. “Well, maybe _almost_ as much as I like you.”

“Steven Rogers.” The voice brings them both to a halt. It’s all the more terrifying for being softly spoken. Steve looks up guiltily to find Darcy standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest. The long evening dress hides her feet, but he knows that she’s tapping her toes impatiently. Sophia scrambles off of his toes and hides behind him. Smart girl.

“Uh, hi, Darce. I was just…I was putting Sophia to bed.” He hears a giggle behind him, and little hands are clutching his pants behind his knees.

Darcy raises a brow and purses her lips. “Are you really?”

“Yes?”

“Mmhmm. See, what it looked like to me is that you were aiding and abetting my little escapee over there.” Another giggle, and Steve sees a smile tug at the corners of Darcy’s lips. “Sophia Elizabeth, what are you doing out of bed?”

Sophia peeks her head out from behind Steve. “Dancing.”

“You, missy, are supposed to be sleeping.” Darcy scoops her up over Sophia’s protests. “Where’s Penelope?”

Sophia wraps her arms around Darcy’s neck. “She’s sleeping. I just wanted to watch the dancing.”

“She wanted a dance,” Steve says sheepishly. “I was gonna take her upstairs right after.”

“Mmhmm.” Steve squirms under her glare, but Sophia distracts her when she tugs at her mother’s hair. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Uncle Steve likes you, too,” she says in a whisper loud enough for Steve to hear. Maybe it’s a trick of the light, but it looks like Darcy’s cheeks are pink.

“Hush.”

“Mommy, you know what people who like each other do?” This time he’s definitely not mistaken. Darcy’s cheeks are bright red. So are Steve’s. “They dance, mommy.”

“Yes,” she says in relief. “That’s what they do.”

Sophia tugs at Darcy’s hair again. “You should dance with Uncle Steve.”

“I’m not gonna dance with Uncle Steve,” Darcy says sternly.

“But mommy, you said you liked him. You _said_.”

“We can humor her,” Steve interjects, because Sophia sounds genuinely distressed. And, really, because he’d love to dance with Darcy, even if Sophia is wrong. “One dance won’t hurt anyone.”

Darcy looks down at Sophia, who’s sniffling pitifully and about to start wailing any moment, and she sighs. “One dance.” Sophia cheers considerably and when Darcy puts her down, she scrambles to sit on the bottom step of the stairs leading up to the guest rooms. She rests her chin on her hands and she’s practically bouncing with excitement. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into her,” Darcy whispers as the orchestra below strikes up a waltz. He takes her into his arms, and he feels a shiver run through her. His thumb brushes over the bare skin at her back, exposed by the dip in her dark blue evening gown.

“Cold?” he asks.

She looks down. “No.” They move together, and while he’s never been the most graceful dancer, with Darcy it feels comfortable, right. “About what Sophia said—“

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Steve says quietly, not wanting to hear her deny it, and unsure how to proceed if she didn’t.

“I—“ But she can’t seem to finish the rest of her sentence. He twirls her around, pulling her in closer against him as she spun back into him. Their eyes catch, and for a moment, all there is is Darcy in his arms, their breathing synced as they move gracefully to the music. He never knew dancing could be like this. 

The dance ends, but she makes no move to step away and Steve can’t make his arms release her. Slowly, he lowers his head, giving her time to pull away if that’s what she wants. She moves closer. Their lips brush when they hear a voice shouting Sophia’s name.

They jump apart in time to see Penelope, Sophia’s babysitter, running down the stairs. “Sophia!” she calls again, and stops abruptly when she sees Steve, Darcy, and Sophia. The moment is broken.

The little girl is pouting. “You ruined the best part!” 

Steve glances at Darcy, whose face is bright red. “Bed, young lady.”

“I’m so sorry, Miss Lewis,” Penelope says. “I don’t know how she got away.”

Darcy forces a smile. “That’s alright Penelope, go on to bed. I’ll take her up myself.” Penelope goes. Darcy helps Sophia to her feet and tweaks her daughter’s nose. “I’ll read you a bedtime story.”

They start up the stairs, Darcy holding Sophia’s hand, and Steve watches them go, unsure of what to do now. Darcy stops on the third step and looks back. She bites her lip hesitantly before she asks, “Are you coming Steve?”

He hurries over to them with embarrassing alacrity. Their fingers brush on the way up to Sophia’s room, then Darcy’s hand is clasped in his. He doesn’t say anything about it; neither does she. But it feels right.


End file.
